Cooking oil still cheaper than mineral water, says Minister

The price of cooking oil after subsidy rationalisation will still be cheaper than the price of mineral water, a minister said today.

Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin estimated that after the rationalisation, a family of five would only be required to cough out RM100 extra per year for cooking oil, making their purported yearly consumption of mineral water more expensive.

“If it is for a family of five, it will be about RM10 per month and an average of RM100 per year, while the mineral water that they buy and drink every day exceeds the price of the cooking oil,” Hamzah said in the Dewan Rakyat today.

The Larut MP explained that an average Malaysian consumes around 1.5kg of cooking oil per month, which averages out to RM2.25 per person.

Hamzah was responding to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng who asked if a family of five would need to pay an average of RM50 per person a year to buy cooking oil.

The minister said recently that the cooking oil subsidy will be removed for all package sizes, except 1kg polybags that will remain priced at RM2.50, starting today.

Source -Malay Mail Online-